Broadcast communication receivers, such as satellite and cable television set-top boxes, or “STBs”, often provide features to help the user customize the set-top box in accordance with the user's viewing or listening preferences. For example, some set-top boxes allow a user to designate a number of specific programs or channels as personal favorites to simplify access by the user to the broadcast channels and programs of particular interest from among the extensive amount of programming options typically available on the set-top box. Further, in set-top boxes that provide a digital video recorder (DVR) capability, this same type of information may be employed to allow the user to quickly configure the set-top box to record the user's favorite programs.
Given that several different users, such as a number of family members living in the same household, may all use the same set-top box, some manufacturers have further enhanced their set-top boxes by allowing the creation of separate channel or programming favorites lists and recording parameters for each user. Typically, each such list may be identified with a label, such as a user's name, although most such lists are accessible by all users of the set-top box.
Many set-top boxes also provide a parental control or security function which allows a user to define an alphanumeric password to block selected channels and/or programs from those users not privy to the password. Thus, these particular boxes provide parents the capability to prevent some young family members from viewing programs that are inappropriate for their age.
In some cases, multiple set-top boxes may be employed in a single household, as some subscribers may enjoy the use of several televisions in different rooms throughout the home. In that case, each set-top box may possibly be used by several users within the house, thus possibly implicating the need for a copy of each user's favorites list, recording schedule, and the like in each separate set-top box within the household.